Adjusting a content rendering system based on user occupancy

• US 20090052859A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Carvajal, Santiago, Greenberger, Hal P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/213
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/003 with radio receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4318 by altering the content in the rendering process, e.g. blanking, blurring or masking an image region image enhancement or restoration in general G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

User occupancy is monitored within a space in which a video display of a content rendering system is viewable. The user occupancy can be monitored based on physical user attributes. At least one of audio rendering and video rendering by the content rendering system is adjusted based on the monitored user occupancy.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, based on physical user attributes, user occupancy within a space in which a video display of a content rendering system is viewable; and

based on the monitored user occupancy, selectively adjusting at least one of audio rendering and video rendering by the content rendering system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring user occupancy comprises using at least one of ultrasonic detection, pyroelectric detection, thermal detection, and visual detection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring user occupancy based on user motion within the space.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the monitoring comprises:

determining a presence of a user within the space based on user motion in the space; and

determining an absence of a user from the space based on a lack of motion in the space for a predetermined amount of time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting comprises:

reducing a degree of video rendering by the display device in response to the detected absence.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein reducing a degree of video rendering comprises changing an operating mode of the video display from an active mode to a standby mode such that power consumption of the content rendering system is reduced.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting comprises:

increasing a degree of video rendering by the display device in response to a detected presence of the user within the space.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein increasing a degree of video rendering comprises activating the video rendering in response to a command from a remote control.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises:

segmenting the space into regions; and

detecting movement of a user from a first region in the space to a second region in the space different than the first region.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating, based on the monitoring, a function in a recording device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring is performed by the content rendering system.

12. A method, comprising:

monitoring, based on user motion, user occupancy within a space in which a display of a content rendering system is viewable; and

based on the monitored user occupancy, reducing a power consumption of the content rendering system while maintaining rendering of at least a portion of content during the reduced power consumption.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein reducing a power consumption comprises deactivating a rendering of video by the display.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein rendering at least a portion of content comprises rendering audio correlated with the video.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the video includes video of television program or movie and the correlated audio includes audio of the television program or movie.

16. A system, comprising:

a content rendering device rendering audio and video portions of multimedia content;

an occupancy sensor configured to detect user presence and user absence within a space in which the rendered video is viewable based on motion within the space; and

a controller configured to adjust the content rendering system based on the user presence and the user absence, the controller adjusting the content rendering system to operate in a reduced power consumption mode in which power consumption is reduced while at least a portion of the multimedia content is rendered.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the content rendering device includes a television device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the content rendering device includes a computer display.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the occupancy sensor is located in the content rendering device.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the occupancy sensor utilizes at least one of an ultrasonic detector, a pyroelectric detector, a thermal detector, and a video capture device.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to at least one of:

activate a function in a recording device based on the detected user absence and presence, and transmit information reflecting the detected user absence and presence.

22. A system configured to:

detect, based on motion in a space in which a person can view a video display, whether a person is present in a space, and

if the person is not present, turn off at least a rendering of video by the video display while maintaining a rendering of audio correlated with the video.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the motion in the space is detected using a motion sensor coupled to the video display.

24. The system of claim 22, further configured to activate a function in a recording device if the person is not present.

25. A computer readable medium storing a computer program product, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to:

monitor, based on user motion, user occupancy within a space in which a display of a content rendering system is viewable; and

based on the monitored user occupancy, cause the content rendering system to operate in a reduced power consumption mode in which power consumption is reduced while at least a portion of content is rendered.

26. An integrated audio and video rendering device, comprising:

a video rendering module configured to render a video portion of multimedia content;

an audio rendering module configured to render an audio portion of the multimedia content and operable as a standalone audio reproduction device; and

a controller configured to operate the integrated audio and video rendering device in a reduced power consumption mode in which the video rendering module is disabled and the audio rendering module operates as the standalone audio reproduction device.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the video rendering module and the audio rendering module are co-located in a television device.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the integrated audio and video rendering device comprises an optical disc player.